Compositions and methods for restoring aircraft windows and other plastic surfaces

Abstract

Plastic restoration kits and methods for effectively restoring the light transmission and optical clarity properties to a plastic surface such as an aircraft window. The kits and methods restore plastic surfaces that have been damaged by scratching and/or UV-induced oxidation. The kits and methods employ a polishing composition and optionally a lusterizing composition, each having particles selected so as to polish and lusterize a plastic surface. After polishing and lusterizing, a UV protective composition that forms a hard UV protective coating is applied. The polishing and/or lusterizing compositions may include agglomerated abrasive particles dispersed in a liquid or gel carrier that progressively break down in size when exposed to oxygen and mechanical pressuring during polishing or lusterizing.

I claim: 
     
       1. A method for restoring optical clarity and light transmission properties to a plastic surface damaged by scratching and/or UV-induced oxidation, comprising:
 providing at least one abrasive composition including abrasive particles dispersed in a liquid or gel carrier, the abrasive composition being initially manufactured and stored in a substantially oxygen free environment, wherein the abrasive composition comprises abrasive particles selected from the group consisting of polishing abrasives with a grit size in a range of about 50 microns to about 400 microns and lusterizing abrasives with a grit size in a range of about 10 microns to about 60 microns; 
 treating a damaged plastic surface by applying the at least one abrasive composition to the plastic surface to remove scratches and/or UV-induced oxidation from the plastic surface; and 
 protecting the treated plastic surface from UV damage by applying to the treated plastic surface a UV protective composition that includes a UV-protective material, a solvent, and a polymer or polymerizable material. 
 
     
     
       2. A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the UV protective composition is annealed or melted into the plastic surface. 
     
     
       3. A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the polymer or polymerizable material comprises an acrylic polymer or acrylic-urethane. 
     
     
       4. A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the solvent of the UV protective composition is selected from the group consisting of alcohols, ethers, isopropyl alcohol, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       5. A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one abrasive composition comprises both a polishing composition and a lusterizing composition, the step of treating the damaged plastic window surface comprising:
 applying the polishing composition including a polishing abrasive dispersed within a first liquid or gel carrier; and 
 applying the lusterizing composition including a lusterizing abrasive dispersed within a second liquid or gel carrier. 
 
     
     
       6. A method as recited in  claim 5 , the polishing abrasive having a grit size in a range of about 60 microns to about 300 microns and the lusterizing abrasive having a grit size in a range of about 15 microns to about 50 microns. 
     
     
       7. A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one abrasive composition is applied to the plastic surface using at least one buffing pad or buffing cloth impregnated with glass fibers. 
     
     
       8. A method as recited in  claim 5 , wherein a buffing pad or buffing cloth is used in application of the polishing composition and a different buffing pad or buffing cloth having different characteristics is used in application of the lusterizing composition. 
     
     
       9. A method as recited in  claim 8 , wherein a buffing pad comprising an open-cell polyurethane foam is used in application of the polishing composition, and a different buffing pad or buffing cloth that is softer than that used in application of the polishing composition is used in application of the lusterizing composition. 
     
     
       10. A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the plastic surface is an aircraft window. 
     
     
       11. A method as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the aircraft window comprises polycarbonate or a multi-layer laminate material. 
     
     
       12. A method as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the aircraft window comprises a coating and the method does not damage the coating. 
     
     
       13. A method as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the aircraft window is non-coated. 
     
     
       14. A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the UV protective material is selected from the group consisting of hindered amine compounds, benzophenones, benzotriazoles, hydroxyphenyltriazines, and hydroxyphenylbenzotriazoles. 
     
     
       15. A method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising removing residue from the treated plastic surface using at least one of a cloth, water, or a composition before applying the UV protective composition. 
     
     
       16. A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the plastic surface comprises an automotive plastic light cover, a plastic sunglass lens, or a plastic corrective eyeglass lens. 
     
     
       17. A method for restoring optical clarity and light transmission properties to a plastic surface damaged by scratching and/or UV-induced oxidation, comprising:
 polishing the plastic surface to remove scratches and/or oxidative damage by applying to the plastic surface a polishing composition initially manufactured and stored in a substantially oxygen free environment and having a polishing abrasive with a grit size in a range of about 50 microns to about 400 microns dispersed within a liquid or gel carrier; 
 lusterizing the polished plastic surface to further improve optical clarity by applying to the plastic surface a lusterizing composition initially manufactured and stored in a substantially oxygen free environment and having a lusterizing abrasive with a grit size in a range of about 10 microns to about 60 microns dispersed within a liquid or gel carrier; and 
 protecting the polished and lusterized plastic surface from UV damage by applying to the plastic surface at least one UV protective composition for applying a UV protective coating to the plastic surface treated using the polishing and lusterizing compositions. 
 
     
     
       18. A method as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the UV protective composition comprises a UV protective material, a polymer or polymerizable material, and at least one solvent that causes the UV protective coating to anneal into the plastic surface when the UV protective composition is buffed onto the plastic surface. 
     
     
       19. A method as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the polymer or polymerizable material comprises an acrylic polymer or acrylic-urethane, and wherein the solvent of the UV protective composition is selected from the group consisting of ethers, alcohols, isopropyl alcohol, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       20. A method as recited in  claim 17 , wherein a buffing pad or buffing cloth is used in application of the polishing composition and a different buffing pad or buffing cloth having different characteristics is used in application of the lusterizing composition, wherein the buffing pad or buffing cloth used in application of the polishing composition is stiffer than the buffing pad or buffing cloth used in application of the lusterizing composition. 
     
     
       21. A method as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the plastic window surface is an aircraft window. 
     
     
       22. A method as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the plastic surface comprises an automotive plastic light cover, a plastic sunglass lens, or a plastic corrective eyeglass lens. 
     
     
       23. A method for restoring optical clarity and light transmission properties to a plastic surface damaged by scratching and/or UV-induced oxidation, comprising:
 providing an abrasive composition initially manufactured and stored in a substantially oxygen-free environment, wherein the abrasive composition is comprised of abrasive particles dispersed within a liquid or gel carrier; 
 treating the damaged plastic surface to remove scratches and/or UV-induced oxidation by applying the abrasive composition to the plastic surface, wherein the abrasive particles in the abrasive composition initially comprise agglomerates having an initial particle size when initially treating the plastic surface that, when exposed to oxygen and mechanical pressure during use, progressively break down into smaller particles so that the abrasive composition becomes progressively finer and less abrasive during use, wherein the initial and final particle sizes cause the polishing composition to readily remove scratches and oxidation from a plastic surface; and 
 protecting the treated plastic surface from UV damage by applying to the treated plastic surface at least one UV protective composition to form a UV protective coating on the plastic surface. 
 
     
     
       24. A method as recited in  claim 23 , wherein the agglomerates are formulated so as to break down into smaller particles having a final particle size that is less than about 75% of the initial particle size. 
     
     
       25. A method as recited in  claim 23 , wherein the agglomerates are formulated so as to break down into smaller particles having a final particle size that is less than about 50% of the initial particle size.